ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Vanessa Bryant Pregnant With Third Child, See Kobe's Wife's Adorable Baby Announcement. And a baby makes five! Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa are expecting their third child and the expecting mother took to Instagram to announce the happy family news. "Beyond blessed and excited to share that we are expecting our third baby girl!!! #blessed #babymamba #thankful," the 34-year-old wrote alongside an adorable onesie and baby sneakers. The famous couple has two daughters together, Natalia Diamante Bryant and Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant. Kobe is expected to attend Wednesday night's 2016 ESPY Awards ceremony, where he will be presented with the Icon Award by none other than Justin Timberlake. Back in mid-April, the former Los Angeles Lakers star played his final game before entering retirement on the court. He tweeted a heartfelt message to his legions of fans after stepping out of Staples Center, writing, "Last night was the final chapter to an incredible story. I walk away at peace knowing my love for the game & this city will never be broken." It's quite an exciting time in the Bryant household -- congratulations to both Kobe and Vanessa! (Eonline)

Teen Mom 2's Chelsea Houska Is Preggo With Her Second Baby! Baby number two! Teen Mom 2's Chelsea Houska took to her new website on Tuesday to announce she and her fiance Cole DeBoer are expecting their first child together due in February 2017! How exciting! As you may recall, the 24-year-old first appeared on MTV's 16 & Pregnant when she was preggo with now-six-year-old Aubree she welcomed with ex Adam Lind. In a post titled And Then There Were Four, the reality star penned: "Oh my gosh! I'm so excited to finally be launching my website, and I felt like the perfect first post... would be to announce to everyone that baby DeBoer is expected in February 2017! We are beyond excited for this journey and can't wait to share it with you all! Big sister Aubree is also extremely excited and it's no secret that she is hoping for a girl haha I'll be sure to keep you updated throughout this pregnancy, and I'm also excited to use this website as another way to stay connected with you all about tons of other topics! I'm so grateful for everyone's continued support and kind words!" (Perez Hilton)

Taylor Swift is living her own love story. Life with boyfriend Tom Hiddleston "has been a dream come true," a Swift source says in the new issue of Us Weekly. "He's so romantic, classic and chivalrous, and he's doing everything right." His grandest gesture has yet to come. After a whirlwind month of dating that included jaunts to England, Italy and Australia, a Hiddleston insider says the 35-year-old Brit is ready to upgrade his relationship status. "Tom is planning to propose very soon," says the insider. And the 10-time Grammy winner, 26, has her answer prepared. "She would definitely say yes," says the Swift source. Though the pair's romance has clocked in faster than your average Bachelor courtship, the two have already checked off major relationship milestones. Days after their first official date in Rhode Island June 14, Swift whisked the Avengers star off to Nashville in her private jet to meet her parents. By the time he took her home to England days later, they had already swapped I love you's. Then, the weekend of Swift's annual 4th of July bash, the normally private actor shared his feelings with the world -- wearing an "I [Heart] T.S." tank top and a temporary heart tattoo with the letter T in the middle -- while splashing in the ocean July 3. His devotion has floored Swift. "Taylor's totally into him," says the Swift source. "She is so swept off her feet." (US Weekly)

Jennifer Aniston has had enough of the false pregnancy rumors and body shaming. "For the record, I am not pregnant. What I am is fed up," the actress, 47, writes in a scathing essay titled "For the Record" posted on The Huffington Post Tuesday, in which she also asserts that women "are complete with or without a mate, with or without a child. We get to decide for ourselves what is beautiful when it comes to our bodies." Speculation recently flared up in June that Aniston was pregnant after paparazzi pictures surfaced from her vacation in the Bahamas with husband Justin Theroux. Reports claimed that Aniston had a "bump" in the pictures, which were taken of her in a bikini. A spokesperson for Aniston issued a statement denying the rumors. "What you see is her having just enjoyed a delicious big lunch and her feeling safe on private property," the rep for Aniston told ET. "This past month in particular has illuminated for me how much we define a woman's value based on her marital and maternal status," she writes. "The sheer amount of resources being spent right now by press trying to simply uncover whether or not I am pregnant (for the bajillionth time... but who's counting) points to the perpetuation of this notion that women are somehow incomplete, unsuccessful, or unhappy if they're not married with children." She continued, "We are complete with or without a mate, with or without a child. We get to decide for ourselves what is beautiful when it comes to our bodies. That decision is ours and ours alone. Let's make that decision for ourselves and for the young women in this world who look to us as examples. Let's make that decision consciously, outside of the tabloid noise. We don't need to be married or mothers to be complete. We get to determine our own 'happily ever after' for ourselves." Aniston said that she "may become a mother someday, and since I'm laying it all out there, if I ever do, I will be the first to let you know." But added that for now, "I resent being made to feel 'less than' because my body is changing and/or I had a burger for lunch and was photographed from a weird angle and therefore deemed one of two things: 'pregnant' or 'fat.' " Not to mention the painful awkwardness that comes with being congratulated by friends, coworkers and strangers alike on one's fictional pregnancy (often a dozen times in a single day)." The Mother's Day star urged readers to help put a stop to the "objectification and scrutiny" all women go through. "The way I am portrayed by the media is simply a reflection of how we see and portray women in general, measured against some warped standard of beauty," she explained. "We use celebrity 'news' to perpetuate this dehumanizing view of females, focused solely on one's physical appearance, which tabloids turn into a sporting event of speculation." Aniston wants people to take a stand with what they read: "Maybe someday the tabloids will be forced to see the world through a different, more humanized lens because consumers have just stopped buying the bull---." (People)

Backing up Aniston! Gilmore Girls star Melissa McCarthy has proclaimed herself to be "one hundred thousand billion percent" behind Jennifer Aniston and her powerful op-ed published on Tuesday, July 12, in the Huffington Post. Talking to Entertainment Tonight, McCarthy agreed with the former Friends star that it was time for society to stop "tearing down" women and to focus on something other than what they look like. "It's always about the way we look," the actress told the outlet while appearing at Gildafest'16 in New York City. "[People say] 'He's very interesting,' 'He's a good writer,' 'She's looking older than she was last time we saw her,'" McCarthy, 45, continued. "It's a ridiculous thing. I just hope it gets to the point where it's embarrassing for people to have such a shallow thought," she went on. As Us Weekly reported previously, Aniston hit out at the continued and constant speculation that she might be pregnant, and the scrutiny that women face in general when it comes to their figures. "For the record, I am not pregnant. What I am is fed up," the 47-year-old actress wrote. "I'm fed up with the sport-like scrutiny and body-shaming that occurs daily. If I am some kind of symbol to some people out there, then clearly I am an example of the lens through which we, as a society, view our mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, female friends and colleagues. The objectification and scrutiny we put women through is absurd and disturbing." She continued in her post: "The message that girls are not pretty unless they're incredibly thin, that they're not worthy of our attention unless they look like a supermodel or an actress on the cover of a magazine is something we're all willingly buying into." (US Weekly)

"Difficult People" creator and showbiz insider Julie Klausner says Hollywood stars only pretend to be pals -- and Gwyneth Paltrow is among the phoniest "backstabbers" in Tinseltown. "They pretend that they are [all great friends], but the stuff that is said about people behind the scenes is really terrible," she told us at a second season premiere of her Hulu show. "Well -- Gwyneth Paltrow -- there's many a tale to tell," she said at the Metrograph theater. "All kinds of backstabbing." While comedian and writer Klausner was mum on the specific details, she figured of Paltrow, "she's into [Eastern therapy] cupping now -- maybe she's cupping instead of backstabbing." Klausner is starting to sound like her character on "Difficult People," in which she stars with Billy Eichner as two struggling New York comedians who hate everyone. Paltrow, whose showbiz pals include Jessica Seinfeld, Mario Batali and Jay Z, was once superclose with Madonna, but the duo fell out over the Material Girl's ex-trainer Tracy Anderson, who is now sculpting Paltrow's derriere, as well as those of many Hamptons and Manhattan moms. Klausner has taken a shot at Paltrow before; in March, she tweeted, "Click here to witness the chemistry between Gwyneth Paltrow and Jimmy Fallon AKA the comedy version of ammonia and bleach!" (Page Six)

Zayn Malik Says an Alien Told Him to Quit One Direction. Zayn Malik may have quit One Direction over a year ago, but he still vivdly remembers what made him decide to leave the band...an alien. No lie, the 23-year-old boyfriend of Gigi Hadid chatted with Glamour magazine for an interview inside their August 2016 issue and revealed the first moment he realized he needed to leave the group. "An alien spoke to me in a dream... " he said, trailing off and leaving our imaginations to figure out the rest. Well, at least all you hardcore 1D fans can now channel your anger toward space! One of those dang aliens has to be listening... Meanwhile, in honor of his first solo tour and album, Mind of Mine, Zayn also dished on a few more of his "firsts." For example, he was candid in admitting that his first celebrity crush was Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. "They're the same, right?" he joked. He also has quite a few musical inspirations, his first motivational song being "Thriller" by Michael Jackson, which he said with "no question." The first album he ever owned was Tupac All Eyez on Me, while his first on-stage performance was Ne-Yo's "Let Me Love You." Another interesting tidbit? He's a huge Bob Marley fan. After every show he pays homage to the Rastafarian singer, and he even admits that if he could jump in a helicopter right now and leave, he'd visit Jamaica. Meanwhile, Zayn has also been making headlines after rekindling with Gigi recently. The two had split briefly in June after dating on and off for about seven months, but they got back together again quickly after that. Since then, they have returned to showing off their PDA on social media. Mostly recently, Gigi shared a photo of the pair playfully kissing each other. It looks like Zayn was going in for a smooch, but Gigi found something to be hilarious, and he instead ended up having one of those slightly awkward teeth-kisses that are always adorable. "Squish ya," she captioned the pic. Presh! (Eonline)

Dear Harry Styles: Please Stay Single, Because You're the Only One Directioners Have Left. Dearest Harry Styles: Please forgive our selfishness in this open letter, because truth be told, as much as we want you to be happy, we really want you to find that happiness without a significant other right now. Hear us out. Directioners are experiencing a tough time. Aside from the fact that One Direction is on hiatus, it seems as though all of your band members have decided to enter cuffing season a lot earlier than usual. Along with taking on the new duty of daddy, Louis Tomlinson is also finding love with Danielle Campbell. Liam Payne decided to take his relationship with Cheryl Fernandez-Versini to the next level by getting a new puppy. Niall Horan is on cloud nine and flaunting PDA with his new lady Celine Helene Vandycke. And yes, Zayn Malik isn't technically part of the group anymore, but for all intents and purposes, we're going to include him in this roundup. And we all know that he is in his own world with supermodel Gigi Hadid. Then there is you. Sweet, beautiful, you. We've seen you in various relationships in the past, but now you are really blossoming into your own -- a movie and a solo album? You go, Harry Styles. So really, perhaps this is a pivotal stage for you, and maybe this is the best time to really focus on yourself with no distractions. We're not saying this because we want to be able to daydream of you without having to see headlines of you with another girl -- oh wait, yes we are. But still, the underlying message still holds true. We already lost your long locks, we just don't want to lose you, too. If not for your personal growth, do it for the Directioners, and stay single forever for a while, please. (Eonline)

Gretchen Carlson has spoken publicly for the first time since filing her sexual harassment lawsuit against Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes. Carlson, 50, opened up to the New York Times about how Ailes, 76, allegedly made sexual advances toward her and was later fired because she complained about "severe and pervasive sexual harassment" at the network. Ailes issued a statement saying Carlson's "defamatory lawsuit is not only offensive, it is wholly without merit and will be defended vigorously." Since filing the suit one week ago, Carlson revealed she "finally felt it was time" to speak up. "I just wanted to stand up for myself, first and foremost. And I wanted to stand up for other women who maybe faced similar circumstances," she said. As for her former workplace, Carlson, who was on Fox's morning show from 2006 to 2013, shared what it was like to be an employee of the network. "Everyone knew how powerful Roger Ailes was. I certainly felt intimidated by that," she explained, adding, "The culture of Fox & Friends was intimidating to me." After Carlson's lawsuit was made public, six women came forward claiming that they had similar experiences with Ailes over multiple decades. Amid public backlash over Ailes' alleged sexual advances, many notable figures have come to Ailes' defense including Fox & Friends stars Ainsley Earhardt and Elizabeth Hasselbeck. When asked about her former colleagues standing by Ailes, Carlson said, "They're still being paid by Fox." As for what she hopes to gain from filing the lawsuit, Carlson simply wants "to stand up for what happened to me and what was the truth." Barry Asen, the outside legal counsel for Ailes, released a statement to PEOPLE saying, "It has become obvious that Ms. Carlson and her lawyer are desperately attempting to litigate this in the press because they have no legal case to argue." (People)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Selena Gomez Beats Justin Bieber (and Herself) for Most Liked Instagram Photo of All Time. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. But then just go ahead and beat 'em. Selena Gomez's 89.1 million followers launched her into the Instagram hall of fame this month with the most-liked image in the social media site's history. At 4 million likes, the 23-year old singer's photo surpasses the previous most-liked image by about 300,000 likes -- which also, coincidentally, featured Selena Gomez. The new most-lauded pic, posted two weeks ago, is a sultry snap of Selena in a red top staring directly at the camera. Sporting her new hair, long red nails and her signature music note tattoo, Selena sips Coca-Cola from a striped straw. Selena captioned the picture "when your lyrics are on the bottle," a nod to her song "Me & the Rhythm" from Revival. The song was used in a Coca Cola advertisement for their recent "Share a Coke and a Song" campaign, which, you guessed it, features song lyrics on coke bottles. Whether it's the beachy waves in her hair or those come-hither eyes, there's no doubt that this pic is hot -- but what makes it the most-liked Instagram post in history? Selena has a dedicated fan base and is currently on tour after releasing a new album. She might always be little Alex Russo from Wizards of Waverly Place in our hearts -- but this girl is a major success in the music industry, selling more than 6.7 million albums and 22 million singles worldwide, according to Billboard. Selena's 4 million far surpasses all other Instagram posts from the past few years. Before her pic, the most popular image was a throwback shot of Jelena kissing, posted by Justin Bieber himself that had garnered 3.7 million likes. The image is a low-res, blurry reminder of the couple's better days, but it did the trick to make fans into Beliebers long enough to heap tons of virtual love on the photo. The previous title holder was an image of Kendall Jenner with her hair formed into hearts that has 3.6 million likes. Jenner made headlines with the multi-million likes back in 2015, and once more last spring when she was dethroned by Bieber. But now it looks like there's a new Insta-queen in town. Selena has been on the road for her Revival Tour since May, which means we can look forward to many more Insta pics as she heads to Asia and Europe later this year. Who do you think will have the next most-liked Instagram photo? (Eonline)

Dramatic thespian Meryl Streep got laughs during a Q&A for her new movie "Florence Foster Jenkins," about a socialite opera singer with a terrible voice. "I love singing, and I am not allowed to sing at home because everybody says, 'Mom, shut up,'" Streep said at a Soho screening. She then wondered aloud, "Why did I have that martini? What was the question?" For the film, Streep even recorded at Abbey Road Studios. "We cleared the building," Streep joked, "But it's all going to be available on CD." (Page Six)

Kylie Jenner was 10 years old when Kardashian made its television debut and now, at 18, the world has yet to stop watching her. "I can't remember what it's like not to be famous," Jenner tells Allurein her August cover interview, explaining that her life in the spotlight has taught her to appreciate true happiness: "I'm a special case." She says, "I'm able to appreciate what true happiness is all about. A new car, that's not real happiness. That lasts a month. That's short-term happiness." So, what, in Jenner's mind, constitutes this real happiness? "Being with your friends," she says. Her close-knit relationship with her family also helps: "Honestly, if I didn't have my family in my life, and I was going through all of this myself, I don't know what I would do." And she certainly doesn't want "all of this"-the social media following, the constant paparazzi presence, the public love life-forever. "I know I don't want to be famous forever," Jenner says. "There's gonna be a time where I feel comfortable, I'm at a good place in my life, and I just stop." Jenner says that her life on television leads to many misconceptions about her personality, and that her online persona is mostly curated to please fans. "On Snapchat I show people what I think they want to see," she divulges. "That's not me. It's a projected image. A brand. I'm not a different person. I just don't show all of me." The reality star notes that she hopes to keep some aspects of her identity private, mainly because she doesn't want to open herself up to critique and commentary. Jenner has previously shared similar sentiments about dealing with her celebrity, explaining to Elle UK in February that she'll definitely leave social media if she ever becomes a mother. "Once I have a kid I'm not going to be on Instagram," she said. "You know, I'll probably delete my Instagram and just ... I don't know, live life." Jenner also told Interview magazine last year, "If I could do whatever I wanted, I would have a successful makeup line, and I would want to hopefully start more businesses, and just be, like, a businesswoman, and then, hopefully, I'll go off the map. When I'm, like, 30, I want to go off the map, have a family, and live in Malibu with a farm, and just raise my own chickens." Keeping Up with the Kardashians airs Sundays (9 p.m. ET) on E! (People)

Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell is donating this season's first NFL game check to a Dallas police organization after facing intense backlash over an Instagram post ... TMZ Sports has learned. The post was an illustration of a police officer having his throat slashed by a masked man. Crowell immediately deleted it, but not before it spread across social media. Crowell apologized at the Browns' request, but as we first told you ... police organizations felt the apology was empty, and one threatened to organize a police boycott of Browns home games this season. Now, Crowell's putting his money where his mouth is, vowing to donate an entire game check to the Dallas Fallen Officer Foundation, which supports families of officers killed in the line of duty. FYI -- Isaiah will reportedly make $600k this season, and a game check is typically 1/16th of a player's salary ... so the donation should be about $37,500. It's clear Isaiah realizes he made a big mistake. (TMZ)

Tyrese has buried the hatchet in his custody war with ex-wife Norma, and he says the catalyst for peace was the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Tyrese tells us last week's horrendous events had a huge impact on both of them, and they had a long, heartfelt talk for the first time in memory ... about all the hatred in this country. They realized by waging war with each other, they were part of the problem. Tyrese feels strongly ... black families need to band together, and the place to start is home. As we've reported, it got so bad between the 2 Tyrese was accusing Norma of planning to disappear with their 9-year-old daughter, Shayla. Things have changed in a big way in the last few days. Tyrese posted a picture Monday with Norma and Shayla where they were all smiles. As for the future, Tyrese insists this doesn't mean he's getting back with Norma ... it's about putting their differences aside to co-parent Shayla, and it's working. (TMZ)

The Game is handing over a ton of cash to a white cop in Arkansas who's making a refreshing effort to reach out to underprivileged children and ease racial tensions in his community. Game was so moved by videos he saw of North Little Rock officer Tommy Norman taking time to bond with young kids on his beat -- that he set up a GoFundMe page. The original goal was $50k, but officer Norman tells us Game's people say they'll be sending a check for more than $64,000! Norman's outreach programs help financially struggling students ... and include shoe and backpack donations and something called Shop with a Cop. Yes, he's got officers bargain-hunting with kids. Officer Norman dropped a long list of celebs also looking to lend a hand, and says he plans to use the support to set up a non-profit. Gotta give Game props for springing into action since last week and, of course, to Officer Norman. Nice moves, sir. (TMZ)

Music

Singing for Orlando. Jennifer Lopez and Lin-Manuel Miranda gave their late-night TV debut performance of "Love Make the World Go Round" during The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday, July 12 -- and it was one to remember. Teaming up with house band The Roots, Lopez wore a long, flowing shawl emblazoned with what looked like the colorful panes of glass from a church window. The mom-of-two began the performance solo, giving a haunting rendition of the single, which is currently steaming up the charts. When Miranda joined in, Lopez ditched the shawl and the performance became more upbeat, although no less atmospheric. As previously reported, the pair's song is a tribute to the victims of the Orlando, Florida, nightclub massacre and sales of the single raise funds for the Hispanic Federation's Proyecto Somos Orlando initiative, which pledges to raise money for culturally competent and bilingual mental health services. Miranda teased the performance with a tweet earlier in the evening: "J.Lo. The Roots. Yours truly. Tonight. #LMTWGR @FallonTonight," he wrote, sharing a picture of himself and his Grammy-winning costar on the Tonight Show stage. The talented duo gave the first performance of their charity single on Monday, July 11 during Today, when Lopez wore a fancy white lace bra -- and little else! (US Weekly)

The Tenors Suspend Member After Singing "Disrespectful" Version of "O Canada" at All-Star Game. Musical quartet The Tenors is down one man after Tuesday's MLB All-Star Game. The group has suspended singer Remigio Pereira after he changed the lyrics to the "O Canada" anthem to include "all lives matter." In a statement, The Tenors apologize for Pereira, who acted alone. "The Tenors are deeply sorry for the disrespectful and misguided lack of judgment by one member of the group acting as a 'lone wolf' today during the singing of the Canadian national anthem at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in San Diego," the group posted on Twitter after the game. The group placed the blame on Pereira, who "changed the lyrics of our treasured anthem and used this coveted platform to serve his own political views." The statement also said that the rest of the group was "shocked and embarrassed" by Pereira's actions. During the performance, Pereira unexpectedly sang, "We're all brothers and sisters. All lives matter to the great." The original lyrics, however, is, "With glowing hearts we see thee rise. The True North strong and free." On the back of his sign was "United We Stand." The surprising change did not go over well on social media, where people slammed the singer for his choice. "Changing the lyrics of O Canada to support 'All Lives Matter' is an incredibly efficient and effective way to piss off literally everyone," one person tweeted. In addition to The Tenors' statement online, Pereira released his own series of tweets explaining his decision. "I speak for the human race and the lives of all sentient beings. Love, peace and harmony for ALL has always been my life's purpose. I've been so moved lately by the tragic loss of life and I hoped for a positive statement that would bring us ALL together. ONE LOVE," he wrote. "That was my singular motivation when I said all lives matter." (Eonline)

With a new album and beautiful family of four, "Life Can't Get Much Better" for Joel Madden. As a matter of fact, the pop-punk veteran and his twin brother Benji, both 37, sing about just that on Youth Authority, their band Good Charlotte's first album in nearly six years. "We're inspired by our own lives," Madden tells PEOPLE. Indeed, the LP covers the gamut of the life changes they've experienced since taking a hiatus after promoting their 2010 record Cardiology, from relationships highs and lows to familial bliss. Since then, Joel has gotten married (he and Nicole Richie said "I do" in 2010) and raised a son and a daughter. (Benji also tied the knot, marrying Cameron Diaz in January 2015.) "There are moments where you feel like life is perfect, and you want to stay in that moment forever, and that's how we feel: really blessed and lucky," Madden says, recounting the inspiration for their celebratory new single "Life Can't Get Much Better." Much of Youth Authority's lyrical content consists of similar sentiments. Another standout, "Stray Dogs," finds the twins singing: "Don't leave me stray / I'm just a dog without you." The track is about "feeling like you found your place in the world," Madden says. "I think we reflect on that." The vocalist has admitted pain from his and his brother's childhood plays a factor in that: Their father walked out on their family when they were teens, shortly before they launched the band. "When you grow up in a broken home, there's something about finally find love and security in your family," Madden says, examining his life today. "We're grateful for our families and the love we have in our lives." Madden says starting his own family has changed his life. "I give my wife a lot of credit. She's an incredible partner and really supportive," he says. And these days, his daughter Harlow, 8, and son Sparrow, 6, finally get to see their dad as the rock star he is. "My kids are big fans [of my music]. They like to go on tour now that they're old enough, and they're definitely very musical," he adds. "It's been fun for the family." More than anything, Madden is appreciative of the life he has now. "Coming from nothing and working and building something, we all feel extremely lucky to have the career we have, to have the families we have," he says. With this new album and all they've accomplished, Madden hopes his and his brother's story inspires others. "We landed on our feet. There was a whole bunch of different ways it could have gone wrong, and the thing I'm most proud of is we ended up okay as a band as people," he says. "We all feel like, in our own way, we got to have the American Dream-the thing we as kids dreamed of, the thing we left home for. The American Dream is alive and well, and we're living proof of it." (People)

Taylor Swift really is the creative brains behind Calvin Harris' monster hit "This is What You Came For," and their relationship fell apart because he disrespected her when the song was released ... this according to sources connected with Taylor. It's a fascinating story. We've learned an early fan rumor about the song is true, but to a deeper extent than anyone suspected. During their relationship, Taylor wrote the song, sat down at a piano and did a demo into her iPhone. She sent it to Calvin, who loved it. They both went into a studio and did a full demo with Taylor on vocals and Calvin doing the beat. They both knew the song would be a hit, but Taylor wrote it for Calvin and both agreed it was a bad idea to let the world know they collaborated as a couple ... it would overshadow the song. So Taylor, who kept the publishing rights, used the pseudonym, Nils Sjoberg on the credits. Fast forward to April 29th. Calvin released the song with Rihanna and it became an instant hit. It's been at #1 or #2 on the Dance/Electronic chart for 9 weeks, and is #5 on the Billboard 100. The problem in the relationship came the day the song was released. Calvin appeared on Ryan Seacrest's radio show and Ryan asked, "Will you do a collaboration with your girlfriend?" Calvin responded, "You know we haven't even spoken about it. I can't see it happening though." We're told Taylor was hurt and felt Calvin took it too far. It was a quick downward spiral from that point. One source called it "the breaking point in the relationship." The Met Gala was several days later, when Taylor danced with Tom Hiddleston. BTW ... Taylor has the right to prohibit Calvin from performing the song, but she hasn't and doesn't plan to exercise that right. Ironically, Calvin once wrote a song with then-GF Rita Ora and when they broke up he yanked her right to perform it. As for why the squad is talking now ... we're told they're sick of Calvin trashing Taylor and feel he should be thanking her for quietly giving him a smash hit. We reached out to Taylor's rep. So far no word back. (TMZ)

Calvin Harris Goes on Twitter Rant After Taylor Swift Confirms She Co-Wrote His Hit Song. Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris secretly made music together, as in, actual music, during their relationship. And now, now there is drama. The two co-wrote "This Is What You Came for," a hit single the Scottish EDM artist performed with Rihanna and released in late April. Harris broke up with Swift in late May. "Taylor Swift wrote 'This Is What You Came for' under the pseudonym Nils Sjoberg," the pop star's rep confirmed to E! News Wednesday. Music performing rights databases show "This Is What You Came" for was co-written by both "Nils Sjoberg" and Harris, who used his real name -- Adam Wiles. "And she sings on a little bit of it too...Amazing lyric writer and she smashed it as usual. I wrote the music, produced the song, arranged it and cut the vocals though. And initially she wanted it kept secret, hence the pseudonym," Harris tweeted. "Hurtful to me at this point that her and her team would go so far out of their way to try and make ME look bad at this stage though," he added. After the single's release, Harris on Ryan Seacrest's radio show On-Air With Ryan Seacrest that he and Swift had never spoken about a music collaboration, adding, "I can't see it happening, though." Swift was hurt by his words, E! News has learned. "Adam and Swift did get in an argument about this but Adam was very hesitant in working with Swift on music because his past experience with his other girlfriend," a source told E! News exclusively, referring to Rita Ora. "He thinks Taylor is a talented artist but he wanted going forward to keep his relationship and work separate. He apologized if she took anything to heart but has only respected her throughout their relationship." "This Is What You Came for" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart soon after its release and soon reached No. 4, marking the highest position Harris has ever reached on that chart. Since her and Harris' split, Swift has moved on with British Thor actor Tom Hiddleston. The two seem to be moving fast in their relationship, meeting each other's parents and talking about kids, and recently jetted off to Australia, where he is filming Thor: Ragnarok. "I figure if you're happy in your new relationship you should focus on that instead of trying to tear your ex bf down for something to do," Harris tweeted. "I know you're off tour and you need someone new to try and bury like Katy [Perry] ETC but I'm not that guy, sorry. I won't allow it." "Please focus on the positive aspects of YOUR life because you've earned a great one," he added. "God bless everyone have a beautiful day." Swift has not responded to Harris' remarks. Days before the release of "This Is What You Came for," Swift had promoted the track while at Coachella 2016. She posted on Instagram a photo showing her wearing a jacket with the single's cover art. At the time, fans speculated she was merely supporting her beau.

Cypress Hill Re-Issuing Their Debut Album in a Black Skull. You can't smoke out of it (as far as we know). But you can put it on your shelf and impress, or scare, your friends. It's the upcoming 25th anniversary re-issue of Cypress Hill's 1991 self-titled debut and it comes in a black resin skull sculpture with a remastered version of the album that gave the world "Hand on the Pump," "How I Could Just Kill a Man," "Stoned is the Way of the Walk" and "Light Another." The special edition was created by the Boston label Get On Down Records, which specializes in unusual packaging, from a reissue of the Fat Boys' debut in a miniature pizza box to slipping GZA's Liquid Swords into a chess set, Masta Ace puzzles, a KMD picture book and Boogie Down Productions Criminal Minded cassette. According to Rolling Stone, only 1,991 copies of the skull will be made and Get on Down co-founder Papa D told the site there was a very good reason for spending three years figuring out how to hide the CD inside the black dome. "Every time I think about Cypress Hill, you think about that logo... it had a heavy metal logo vibe to it. What if we do a 3-D version of that?" he said. Cypress co-founder B-Real loved the idea because it fit in perfectly with the visual style the band has cultivated over a quarter century. "I saw the first round of it and it looked incredible, man ... If there's Cypress fans out there that got, like, a Cypress Hill trophy case, keep it with all the memorabilia," he said. The skull comes with a 100-plus page booklet with interviews of the band and archival photos. You can pre-order it starting on Aug. 13 at GetOnDown.com. (Billboard)

Hear Sia's 'Unstoppable' Remixed Into Olympics Anthem Feat. Pusha T: Exclusive Premiere. The 2016 Olympics are less than a month away. To help you get in the mood for the opening ceremonies on Aug. 5, Billboard is premiering the video for a made-for-Rio anthem: a brand new remix of Sia's 2016 anthem "Unstoppable," remixed by Ariel Rechtshaid and featuring a verse from Pusha T and percussion from the storied Afro-Brazilian marching band Olodum. The remix arrives through Gillette's "Perfect Isn't Pretty" campaign, centered on the 2016 summer games. Around the time he was working on Haim's forthcoming sophomore album, Rechtshaid picked chords to fit the visuals of the ad, put them in the key of the Sia song (the original appeared on her 2016 album This Is Acting), and tweaked it from there to get it Olympic-ready. "I've been a fan of [Olodum] ever since I was listening to my parents' Simon records," the producer tells Billboard. "Sia, who's a friend of mine, and then Pusha T came in towards the end because the song felt like it could use his edge and a verse on it." "People get to see the end results a lot and they think it was a beautiful ride," Pusha T says, speaking in an "Unstoppable" mini-doc Billboard is also premiering. "They don't even think about the steps it took to get to that final place." Speaking with Billboard, Rechtshaid -- who got his start playing in punk and indie rock bands as a teenager -- echoed the same sentiment. "Speaking for myself, I make music because I have to make music. It's never been, it never will be about any sort of glamour... When I think of acting and music, there's hard work, there's an art form involved. There's a level of glamour that's associated with you once you've reached success." In recent years, the 37-year old has added undisputed pop A-listers (Beyonce, Adele) and the best the genre's left-of-center faction has to offer (Vampire Weekend, Charli XCX) to his impressive production resume. It's been a long time coming. "At a certain point the music we were making on the outskirts of the mainstream started to seep into the mainstream... That's when people started to see me as successful." (Billboard)

Fan Army Face-Off: Beyonce's BeyHive Leads Against Miley Cyrus' Smilers. This week's round of Billboard's Fan Army Face-Off has the fans of two strong ladies going head to head: Beyonce's Beyhive vs. Miley Cyrus' Smilers. With four days left for the armies to battle it out, Queen Bey's squad may be too strong for Cyrus' loyal followers -- the Beyhive leads with almost 10,000 votes with hopes to advance to the next week. The Smilers have grown up alongside the pop star. Cyrus began building up her army as the star of Hannah Montana, until Cyrus took a giant leap away from her Disney persona with her third studio album Can't Be Tamed in 2010 and the 2013 album Bangerz. Cyrus loved her fans so much that in 2015, she released her fifth studio album Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz for free online. For Smilers, it was just one big "Party in the U.S.A." While the Smilers are high on Cyrus, Beyonce's Beyhive follows the R&B diva's every move while staying in formation. It's no wonder the singer's fan army is so loyal: The artist has debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 with every single studio album she's released since debuting as a solo artist with Dangerously in Love. Since then, Beyonce has released five studio albums, with her latest being her highly talked-about visual album Lemonade, which spent two weeks at No. 1. Both leading ladies' fan armies beat out the boys in Round 1, with the Beyhive taking down Bruno Mars' Hooligans with just over 1,500 votes and Smilers taking down Flosstradamus' army of trap fans, proving who runs the world. There are four days left in our current round -- vote for your fave in Billboard's Fan Army Face-Off now! (Billboard)

Nick Jonas and Demi Lovato's New Jersey concert was nearly cooked when cops cleared out the arena for a suspicious package. They're playing at the Prudential Center in Newark Tuesday night, but around 3 PM ... police evacuated all staffers inside and out while they removed the package which was found near an exterior wall of the arena. Turns out ... it was just a microwave. Unclear why someone left the appliance there, but we're told cops are on high alert due to last week's tragic events. We don't know if Nick or Demi were inside at the time of the evacuation, but Nick was there at some point today for soundcheck. UPDATE: Law enforcement in NJ tells TMZ their first report that the arena had been evacuated was an error. We're told the sergeant who initially confirmed those details was mistaken by what he heard over dispatch and what was in their reporting system. We are told the arena was never evacuated and only a building located in close proximity to the package was cleared out. Tuesday night's concert was still set to go forward without incident. (TMZ)

Movies

La La Land Trailer Debuts: Are Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling Going to Break Our Hearts This Time? Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are in love again in their forthcoming movie La La Land. The popular onscreen couple, who previously worked together on Crazy, Stupid, Love and Gangster Squad, are together once again in the romantic musical, which seems to be much darker than their romantic comedy. In the movie's first trailer, Gosling plays a jazz musician named Sebastian while Stone has the role of his girlfriend, an aspiring actress named Mia. Both are struggling to cope with the pressures of trying to make it big in Hollywood. The trailer features no dialogue, instead using Gosling's original song "City of Stars" to play over the montage. Despite the fact that Gosling and Stone can't take their eyes off of each other, there's something heartbreaking about their relationship. The lyrics to Gosling's song only add to our doomsday prediction of this favorite couple. "City of stars, are you shining just for me? City of stars, there's so much I can't see," Gosling sings. "Is this the start of something wonderful -- or one more dream that I cannot make true." Gosling and Stone continuously support each other throughout each of their various performances, auditions and rejections, but will they be able to make it through the inevitable pressures they're facing? We can't help but already be heartbroken for these two. Unlike Crazy, Stupid, Love, the movie that made fans 'ship Gosling and Stone as a couple that needed to happen in real life, this dark trailer shows a different side of the fictional couple: one that struggles and (maybe) overcomes together. In some ways, perhaps it's a more real relationship than the one provided to fans in the rom-com starring Steve Carell. Though they had their ups and downs, they ultimately ended up together, giving fans the happy ending they all wanted. Can the same be said for La La Land? We'll just have to wait and see. Based on this trailer, however, fans might not want to get their hopes up. (Eonline)

Mickey Rourke is going to star in a new movie from "The Lincoln Lawyer" director Brad Furman. But, "It's a secret," Rourke told us. He did divulge that it's "something called 'Rope Burn.' There's some action in it. I haven't finished [reading the script] yet." They'll start shooting "as soon as we make the notes." Furman called Rourke, "a dream for me. My pops and I used to watch 'Diner.' He's everything, man! The financiers are big Mickey fans .?.?. I think we've got something that can shock the world." (Page Six)

Lena Dunham is taking to social media to disarm Jason Bourne. The actress-producer shared an Instagram post from "Girls" producer Tami Sagher who asked New Yorkers to remove guns from the "Bourne" subway advertisements starring Matt Damon. "Hey New Yorkers, what if we do some peeling and get rid of the guns in the Jason Bourne subway ads," Sagher wrote. Dunham later shared the post, writing "Good idea ... Let's go!" Damon, himself, has also spoken out against America's gun violence in recent weeks. He told the Sydney Morning Herald that the U.S. government could learn a thing or two from Australia. "You guys did it here in one fell swoop and I wish that could happen in my country, but it's such a personal issue for people that we cannot talk about it sensibly. We just can't," he said. "People get so emotional that even when you make a suggestion about not selling AK-47s to people on terror watch lists, that's a non-starter. I don't know what needs to happen." Universal's "Bourne," the fifth movie in the franchise, opens July 29. (Page Six)

Box-Office Analysis: 'Warcraft' Avoids "Utter Failure" But Will Still Lose Money. The video game adaptation tanked in the U.S., but blasted its way to one of the best showings of all time at the Chinese box office. Legendary Pictures and Universal's Warcraft easily is the most lopsided Hollywood release in modern times. As it winds down its global run, fully 89 percent of its $430.1 million global gross to date has come from international. And more than half of all revenue ($220.8 million) came from China after the film bombed in the U.S. with $46.6 million. "Warcraft is a strange box-office beast and unlike anything the industry has seen," says analyst Jeff Bock. "If China didn't end up grossing what it did, this would have been n utter failure. Now it's only a mild concussion. In fact, sequels have been okayed with less -- just look at Legendry's Pacific Rim." Those close to the $160 million-budgeted video game adaptation say the loss only will be about $15 million. But any deficit stings, because Warcraft is the first movie Thomas Tull's Legendary has released since the company was bought early this year by China's Dalian Wanda Group for a reported $3.5 billion. However, the losses could have been far worse. Other veteran film execs put the red ink in the $30 million-$40 million range, though the higher figures don't account for an unusual deal for digital rights in China valued at $24 million, along with a flush merchandising pact there equaling $20 million, according to insiders. Universal, which released Warcraft in the U.S. and every foreign market save for China, should come out OK since it's entitled to a 10 percent distribution fee off the top. There are a number of co-financing partners on the film, minimizing the risk for any one party. Legendary put up 45 percent of the budget, followed by Universal with 25 percent. Three Chinese ventures put up the rest of the money; internet giant Tencent (15 percent), China Film Group (10 percent) and Huayi (5 percent), while China's Taihe has a nominal stake. Warcraft might have done mega business in their home country, but the Chinese investors made deals for worldwide profits, not for just China, meaning they are subsidizing the entire globe. (If there are any hard feelings, no one's speaking up.) One insider says Warcraft proves the might of the Wanda-Legendary partnership in China, where the movie received the widest release of all time and a massive marketing campaign and had a long list of promotional partners. (China's contribution of $220 million represents 57 percent of the total foreign cume and 51 percent of the global total.) "You're almost better off just making it for the Chinese audience," says analyst Eric Handler of MKM Partners. "It did okay in some other markets where the game was big -- including Germany and France -- but China really saved the day." Handler doubts there will be a sequel to Warcraft, but a more bullish source says there's already a tentative plan for a follow-up, although that person agrees the budget would have to be brought down. And if there were a follow-up, Legendary would get more back from the box office in China, around 43 percent, compared to 25 percent, since it would be deemed a co-production now that Legendary is owned by Wanda. "If Legendary does produce a sequel or trilogy, with only Asian markets in mind, could this be the beginning of a new era of blockbusters and big-budget sequels that can actually bypass North American audiences and still rally for a profit? This is the Chinese multiplier at work, as the People's Republic is surely on its way to being the No. 1 box-office market in the world," says Bock. (Hollywood Reporter)

'Star Trek Beyond' Cast Throws Weight Behind Gay Sulu. Zachary Quinto says at the London premiere that it's "definitely high time for an LGBT character to be included in the Star Trek universe." Perhaps predictably, the current hot topic of Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu's sexuality reared its head at the Star Trek Beyond premiere in London. "It is definitely high time for an LGBT character to be included in the Star Trek universe," Zachary Quinto, who is also openly gay, told the BBC Tuesday evening, adding that the LGBT community had "long advocated for representation" in the franchise. "We've been really excited by the response, particularly from young people, who have been inspired and motivated by this turn toward progress." The revelation that Sulu, played by John Cho, was to become gay was made last week, prompting the original actor, George Takei, to tell The Hollywood Reporter that he thought the decision to use an already established Star Trek figure rather than a new character was "really unfortunate." Co-writer and star Simon Pegg immediately responded in a statement, saying that he "respectfully disagreed" with Takei, and that he, fellow writer Doug Jung and director Justin Lin "loved" the idea of the gay character being someone already known. "It was not something that was flippant," added Lin while in London. "It was something a lot of thought went into. George [Takei] is entitled to his opinion, but at the end of the day I'm the gatekeeper for this and I think it's in the spirit of what [Gene] Roddenberry wanted." Sulu himself, Cho, said that he was concerned about the decision because he knew that Takei was "a gay man who had played a straight character." "I know he felt a fair bit of ownership of that character, and legitimately so," he added. "I was also worried that it might be inferred that we were somehow suggesting that sexuality was a choice. But I don't think anyone has inferred that, and we're certainly not saying that." As for Captain Kirk, Chris Pine admitted he didn't expect the subject to become such a big deal. "I'm a little stunned there's been so much attention given to it," he said. Star Trek Beyond is due to have its U.S. premiere at Comic-Con on July 20. (Hollywood Reporter)

Amazon Studios in Talks to Land Woody Allen's Next Film. The new untitled project (which has Kate Winslet and Justin Timberlake attached) is the director's second collaboration with the streamer following 'Cafe Society,' opening July 15. The Amazon Studios-Woody Allen relationship isn't a fling. Sources say the streaming giant is in talks for North American rights to Allen's (ICM) next film, which will star Kate Winslet, Jim Belushi, Justin Timberlake and Juno Temple. It's a bold move given their first collaboration, the Kristen Stewart-Jesse Eisenberg starrer Cafe Society, doesn't bow theatrically until July 15 via Lionsgate (it will land on Amazon's Prime service after the theatrical window). Further, the new untitled film, set in Coney Island, won't begin shooting until the fall, whereas Cafe Society already was finished when Amazon paid a whopping $15 million for it in February. Despite Allen's recent PR headaches involving renewed sex abuse claims, Amazon execs are confident in Cafe Society, as well as his upcoming Prime series in which he stars with Miley Cyrus and Elaine May. The only question is whether Amazon is ponying up Cafe Society-level numbers, which one rival distributor called "a statement price." (Hollywood Reporter)

Liam Neeson Concerned About North Korean Threats Against MacArthur War Movie. The Irish actor, who plays General Douglas MacArthur in 'Operation Chromite,' says Pyongyang could retaliate as they did over 'The Interview' by hacking Sony. A late-blossoming action career has seen Liam Neeson face danger a number of times on screen in recent years. But the Irish actor fears for the "real life" perils facing upcoming South Korean war movie Operation Chromite, with the very possible threat of retaliation from North Korea. "North Korea and South Korea signed an armistice in 1953 and both countries are still essentially at war. It's a horrifying situation and in light of very recent events [such as the Sony hack] we are all, not just as filmmakers, but as citizens of this world, very concerned," the actor told reporters in Seoul on Wednesday, when asked about possible North Korean reactions to the CJ Entertainment title that hits Korean theaters on July 27 before reaching some 50 other territories around the world. Nevertheless, the 64-year-old said he felt honored to have been part of the production. "I was aware that very few Western actors make a Korean film, and I felt very, very honored and very, very privileged," he said. "I mean, with 72 films [under my belt], I've worked with a crew that has been so professional, so fast, so focused. It was kind of mind-blowing actually; the commitment and dedication [the film crew had on] all their individual jobs was quite awe-inspiring." In Operation Chromite, Neeson plays the role of General Douglas MacAurthur opposite Korean A-lister Lee Jung-jae. The film zooms in a secret South Korean spy mission during the U.S.-led Incheon Landing Operation -- a.k.a. the titular "Operation Chromite" -- that kicked off on September 25, 1950 and is credited with changing the tide of the Korean War. Neeson compared his new character to Schindler from Schindler's List. "Schindler was very, very different from General MacArthur, total opposites except in their supreme confidence," he said. "Schindler was inspired to save 1,200 people; MacAurthur was inspired to have this crazy idea to land 75,000 troops in the port of Incheon which is as wide as this room. They said there was one chance in 5,000 [for the operation to succeed] and he took it; Schindler in his way would've done the same too." The actor further shared his reflections on the nature of leadership. "[Operation Chromite is] a decision that Gen. MacAruthur has to make, knowing that millions of lives will be at stake and it just made me very aware of decisions that our leaders, our politicians have to make, perhaps not only a daily basis but during their tenure of their official," he said. "I actually don't know how they do it, but as an actor it was interesting to have to play that and to make that fateful decision to either go ahead or to not go ahead. And of course MacAruthur did go ahead and the rest is history." The operation is often noted as one of the most brilliant in 20th-century warfare along with the Normandy "D-Day" Landings. The actor, however, admitted feeling very anxious about playing the part. "I suddenly got very, very nervous thinking, 'Can I do this? Am I up for this?' Because he, MacAurthur, seemed to be revered, and has got an almost saint-like status in the country," Neeson said, recalling his visit to Freedom Park in Incheon, where he saw a statue of MacAurthur before the first day of the film shoot. Director John H. Lee said he wanted to depict a mortal hero with real, human flaws. "I think [a hero] is someone who can realize the impossible; not someone who is perfect, but someone like MacAurthur or Lee Jung-jae's spy character, who overcomes obstacles in dire situations and makes great sacrifices. There are heroes around us in our everyday lives, not just during wartime. I wanted to portray a very human hero in a genuine way." Lee, who previously directed another Korean War film, 71: Into the Fire, said, moreover, that he was inspired by Hollywood spy movies for Operation Chromite, which focuses on a particular spy mission. "Though my movies deals with a story that takes place in the 1950s, I wanted to make a spy movie that translates to contemporary viewers, not only here in Korea but across the globe in various languages," he said, about watching serial franchises such as Mission: Impossible, James Bond and Jason Bourne on top of various Korean War-related documentaries, documents and books. Since a promo was revealed at the Cannes Film Market in May, the action film is set to be released in China, the U.K., Germany, and the Middle East, among other parts of Europe and Asia. Local production company Taewon Entertainment secured a U.S. deal directly with Kino Entertainment and the film will be released over 300 screens via CJ Entertainment America in August. "I may be so bold to say it's a wonderful piece of entertainment that John; I hope young people will learn something from it but be very entertained and be very moved by it," added Neeson. (Hollywood Reporter)

'God's Not Dead 2' Billboard Nixed at GOP Convention After Being Called "Incendiary". There will, however, be a billboard advertising atheism at the Republican National Convention, and more than 30 smaller, pro-atheist signs at the Democratic convention. Attendees arriving in Cleveland for the Republican National Convention next week will be greeted by a giant billboard with President Ronald Reagan's image, quoting him saying, "We establish no religion in this country." The sign was purchased by an atheist group called the Freedom From Religion Foundation. What convention attendees won't see, though, is an even larger sign with a pro-religion message that would have advertised the DVD release of God's Not Dead 2. That's because, after two months of back-and-forth with the movie's distributor, the billboard company, Orange Barrel Media, may have deemed the Christian-sounding messaging needlessly provocative. The sign, which would have measured 32 feet by 60 feet, would have draped down one side of a large building in downtown Cleveland and was to feature a picture of Melissa Joan Hart, who plays a teacher in trouble for invoking scripture in the classroom. Alongside the image of the actress was the text: "I'd rather stand with God and be judged by the world than stand with the world and be judged by God." Orange Barrel told Pure Flix, the distributor, it didn't like the "judged by God" message, calling it "too political" and "way too incendiary," according to emails obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. On another occasion, insiders said the billboard company complained that even the title of the film was considered problematic. Early on, Orange Barrel cited Republican National Committee rules barring "scandalous" signage, though Pure Flix argued that the RNC would have no problem with their message, especially since former GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is in the movie. In fact, the GOP has partnered with Pure Flix for a worship service the night prior to the start of the convention, followed by a screening of the movie (with food provided by Chick-fil-A). Orange Barrel next warned that the city of Cleveland might have a problem with the message. The city did have an issue with the size and placement of the sign and advised the sign company of certain steps it would need to go through to get approval, but by then, the damage was done, says Steve Fedyski, the CEO of Pure Flix, which agreed two months ago to pay Orange Barrel $64,100 for its sign. "I'm perplexed. They dragged us along for weeks. Now, right up against the convention date, they say we aren't approved, and they give us no logical rationale," Fedyski said. "My speculation is that someone, somewhere didn't want our message out. It's hard to understand, considering we've used the same marketing on CNN and other national networks." The Cleveland Host Committee is, in fact, working with the RNC to guarantee that anti-Republican groups don't spoil the convention venue with provocative signage (the Democratic National Convention is working in concert with Philadelphia for similar assurances for their convention). It's unclear, though -- even from the multiple emails sent to Pure Flix -- whom it was who actually deemed the God's Not Dead 2 sign inappropriate. A spokesman for the mayor of Cleveland said the city had no objections to the content of the sign. One email from Orange Barrel to Pure Flix, though, reads: "This would not be approved. Way too incendiary." The "incendiary" text the email refers to, was this: "I'd rather stand with God and be judged by the world than stand with the world and be judged by God." Orange Barrel CEO Pete Scantland told THR that there was "no bias" intended, and said his company never actually obtained permission from the city to put any sign on the building in question, which Fedyski finds odd. "They picked the building and the size, and advertised that it was available," he said. "They gave us a budget and deadlines and we met all of it, then they put us on hold. We missed a primary promotional opportunity." Since the deadline has passed for a God's Not Dead 2 sign to appear at the Republican convention, it seemingly allows the Freedom From Religion Foundation's pro-atheism message (which appears on a Clear Channel billboard) to go unchallenged. "It's near the airport, right after the 'Welcome to Cleveland' sign," said Annie Laurie Gaylor, a spokesperson for the group. "The idea was that people flying in to the convention couldn't miss it." Gaylor said her group has also secured more than 30 signs promoting atheism at the Democratic National Convention, which runs July 25-28. The DVD comes out Aug. 16 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV

Melissa McCarthy on Gilmore Girls Finally Getting its Proper Ending. Not every show gets a do-over at an ending, but that's exactly what Gilmore Girls is getting with Netflix's Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, according to Melissa McCarthy. McCarthy, who received the Gilda Radner Award for Innovation in Comedy at Gilda's Club at New York City's Gildafest'16, told E! News it's a great idea that "Amy Sherman-Palladino gets to finish it the way she always saw in her head." "When else do you get a chance to do that? I mean, the odds are so ridiculous. You don't get to redo your ending like that. I think it's a great idea. I think it's the right time to do it and I think people are going to be really happy with it," McCarthy told us. But McCarthy's return to Gilmore Girls almost didn't happen. Creator and executive producer Sherman-Palladino said McCarthy was too busy to return as Sookie St. James, but then McCarthy said she was never asked. After a series of back and forths in the press and on social media, McCarthy announced she would return to Stars Hollow once again. Details about her scene are being kept under wraps, but Sookie returned to Stars Hollow, that's for sure. As for the big ending, you know, those final four words, does McCarthy know them? Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life will premiere on Netflix later in 2016. McCarthy joined Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, Kelly Bishop, Scott Patterson, Liza Weil, Matt Czuchry, Milo Ventimiglia, Jared Padalecki and more famous veterans for a return to Stars Hollow. (Eonline)

Mr. Robot's Greatest Gift for Rami Malek? Helping People Feel Normal. Rami Malek is well aware Mr. Robot and the role of Elliot Alderson is something special. "As an actor, you look for a role like this," he told E! News at Mr. Robot's FYC event. "This is like the joker in the deck. It's the card everyone wants. I look forward to that, every day to play a character with such substance. He's so conflicted, he's dark and grieving and in pain, and still trying to change the world." Malek's Mr. Robot character, a vigilante hacker who suffers from anxiety, depression, delusions and paranoia, is unlike any character on TV today. The actor, who received a Golden Globe nomination for this work on the show, said Elliot inspires him while being a voice for "so many people." "That's one of the most rewarding aspects of this show is there have been people who have reached out to me who are alienated, who are dealing with something mentally and so many ways this character relates to them," he said. "And then there are some people who have all of those elements going on. They write letters, fan mail, or they come up to me in the street or they talk about someone they know -- the impact of having a show that cannot only entertain you or provoke your thought, but actually make you feel normal? I think that's one of the most powerful things that we can be capable of." Season two picks up right after Elliot and fsociety were successful in their E Corp hack. Yes, Mr. Robot (Christian Slater) is still there, kicking around Elliot's head. It's safe to say Elliot has found himself in better states of mind before. Meanwhile, Angela (Portia Doubleday) is getting even more entrenched in the world of E Corp, Darlene (Carly Chaikin) is trying to keep things together and then there's the whole thing with the Whiterose (BD Wong). "Ultimately all of your questions will be answered," Malek promised. Mr. Robot season two premieres Wednesday, July 13 at 10 p.m. on USA. (Eonline)

Samuel L. Jackson's Game of Thrones Recap Is the Only Recap You Need. Have you ever thought to yourself, "A guide to Game of Thrones narrated by Samuel L. Jackson is just what I need in life"? Well, you're in luck because HBO has just gifted the Internet a Game of Thrones beginner's guide, a recap of the first five seasons which are on iTunes, narrated by... Samuel L. Jackson. Of course since it's Samuel L. Jackson uncensored, there are more f-bombs than dragons in the recap. Prepare yourselves: It's good. Haven't you always wanted to hear the Oscar nominated actor talk about the seasons of love Westeros and warn viewers not to get attached to the Starks? You haven't lived until you've heard Jackson describe Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) as a "motherf -- ker." If you're not sold on this yet, just take this description of what's going on with Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and the Night's Watch: "Over on that big ice wall, Jon Snow, Ned's illegitimate son, and the rest of the Night's Watch are really getting worried about the Wildlings on the other side and... these motherf -- kers are cold." Jackson stops short on getting into the big stuff, like Jon Snow's season five moment and subsequent season six reveal. As if you don't know what we're talking about... And for all those who watch Game of Thrones for the dragons, there's this at the very end: "OK, yeah, we have dragons. After all that, you're still stuck on these f--king dragons? OK, you want to see a dragon motherf--ker? OK, here you f--king go. You happy now?" Game of Thrones will return for a seventh season... eventually. It just might be delayed. (Eonline)

Natalie Morales is denying rumors an alleged affair between her and fellow "Today" anchor Matt Lauer is one of the reasons why she decided to jump ship to head to "Access Hollywood." Lauer and Morales strongly deny any inappropriate relationship, but one source told us, "There's speculation it's one of the reasons why she's moving .?.?. Matt didn't want to work with her." Lauer was once one of Morales' biggest supporters at NBC. But now, "There's an awkwardness between Matt and Natalie .?.?. He protected her for a long time and now it seems like something has gone awry," added an insider. But another source said of Lauer and Morales, "There's no validity to it. Zero fact. NBC News loves her. Her contract was up in the fall and she wanted to try something new. She wanted to go to LA. [NBC] wanted to keep her." Morales' husband moved to California for work and she wanted to take their children, the source added. Lauer carries a lot of power and decides who stays at "Today" according to insiders. The first source added of Morales' move, "[A scandal] is the last thing NBC wanted after the Ann Curry debacle." Morales said, "There is absolutely no truth to this completely absurd story. It is damaging, hurtful and extremely sexist. I have proven myself in all aspects of my job as a news professional and journalist, and am adding to my role, taking on three jobs with 'Access Hollywood Live' and 'Access Hollywood,' in addition to 'Today.' This move was dictated by me and my desire to grow in my career. Any insinuations beyond that are uninformed." Lauer added, "Every aspect of this story is untrue, and it's frankly sad that someone would tell lies to harm everyone involved." "Today" top exec Noah Oppenheim told us the story is "patently false." He said that "suggestion[s] that Natalie's new role and salary is anything but the result of her merit, is not only not true -- it's sexism in its ugliest form and it's offensive." (Page Six)

Len Goodman, please don't go! Strictly Come Dancing's head honcho is quitting the popular entertainment show after the next series - which will be his 14th run. The 72-year-old has been with Strictly since it started in 2004 and said: "In 2004, I was asked to take part in a brand new BBC Saturday night show and who would have thought me, old Len Goodman, would still be part of this amazing series more than 10 years on. "This adventure began when I was 60 and now that I've reached my 70s, I've decided after this year it's time to hand the role of Head Judge to someone else. It is an honor being part of the wonderful Strictly Come Dancing family and I'm looking forward to my last series very much and to whatever comes next." Louise Rainbow, Executive Producer of Strictly said: "We are absolutely delighted that Tess, Claudia and our judges are all returning for another year. Whilst we will be sad to say goodbye to Len, as our way of saying thank you, we are all determined to make this series the most spectacular, most glittery and entertaining yet." (British Glamour)

The Pretty Little Liars Returns Begin, But Not Everyone's Here to Help. Need help covering up an accidental murder? Call Mona Vanderwaal, apparently! As the Liars scrambled to cover up having killed Elliott Rollins by running him over with a car, they quickly found that they were no match for Mona, who found Hanna's car in the woods, got the windshield fixed, and showed back up with it just when Hanna and Aria were about to have a panic attack in the woods. She promptly told them everything they were doing wrong with their cover-up, including the fact that they didn't even know about Elliott's burner phone. During the most tense "alibi" brunch we've ever witnessed at the Radley, Mona helped the liars figure out what to do next...until Jenna showed up. She claimed to be back in town to celebrate Toby's engagement, and she seemed to know an awful lot about what was happening in Rosewood. That was all explained when Mona and Hanna finally found the burner phone, ringing, with Jenna at the other end, meaning Jenna's the one who has been working with Elliott. Except, of course, his name's not Elliott. It appears to be Archer Dunhill (AD?), and he was using the identity of a dead doctor named Elliott Rollins as Charlotte's doctor/secret boyfriend/oh my god this is all so complicated. And now that Toby has figured that out, he's on the hunt for the guy who's very dead. We're not the only ones who are a little confused, right? It just doesn't seem that the end of last season is matching up with what we've learned about Rollins this season. And who were the girls talking about in that flash-forward where they burst into Ali's classroom to tell her "he" was coming for her? Does anyone have a flowchart we could borrow? On the shipper side of things, the situation with Spencer and Caleb took some interesting and devastating turns, depending on which side of it you're on. We just really cannot help loving them together, especially when Caleb gives speeches like the one he gave from one side of the chained door, to Spencer on the other side, with Hanna unfortunately having to listen to the whole thing. Spencer told Caleb she needed time after he had kissed Hanna, despite how much he tried to explain it away, but what she really needed was time to cover up the murder she had just helped commit. She spent some of that time getting drunk at a bar with a guy, and then nearly having sex with him in the elevator, which is a place where there are usually cameras. Hanna later told a hungover Spencer that she needed to go talk to Caleb, but when she went, he was gone, with only a framed picture left behind, which leaves us...nowhere. Way to break our confused hearts once again, PLL. Pretty Little Liars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on Freeform. (Eonline)

ABC Relaunches Streaming Service With Full Seasons of 38 Older Shows, 7 Original Digital Short-Form Series. All of the series, including library shows, will be available without signing in with a pay-TV subscription. ABC has relaunched its streaming service with full seasons of 38 older shows and seven original digital short-form series. All of that content will be available to all viewers on ABC.com and the ABC apps for mobile and connected TV devices without signing in with a pay-TV subscription. The service also features a redesigned user interface with improved navigation and discovery for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple TV. The older series include 8 Simple Rules, Brothers & Sisters, Commander in Chief, Dinosaurs, Dirty Sexy Money, Ellen, Felicity, FlashForward, Hope and Faith, Less Than Perfect, My So-Called Life, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Red Band Society, Samantha Who?, School House Rock, Sports Night, Ugly Betty and What About Brian? The short-form digital series feature former View co-host Michelle Collins, Modern Family's Ty Burrell and Iliza Shlesinger. In All My Gay Friends are Getting Married, Collins will sit down with the couples as they recount how they fell in love and relive their epic wedding ceremonies. Boondoggle appears to feature Burrell playing a fictional version of himself, as an actor who made it big with a starring role in the hit series Wingbot. The short-form series follows him and his best-friends, all 40-something husbands and dads, as they enjoy the perks of being a TV star. Shlesinger created and stars in Forever 31, following her and her friends as they struggle with dead-end jobs, hangovers, dating, infidelity and more aspects of modern adulthood. The other ABC series are Tastemade's Get Cookin', I Can Find 3,000 In Your Home, Newborn Moms and On The Record. The digital series were developed in-house by ABC Comedy Development, ABC Daytime and ABC Digital Media. More than 40 additional series are in development and will roll out monthly. ABC has also expanded the markets that can access its 24-hour network live stream. Pay TV subscribers with participating providers can now access ABC's 24-hour feed in 14 Hearst Television ABC markets: Albuquerque- Santa Fe (KOAT), Boston (WCVB and WMUR), Fort Smith/Fayetteville/Springdale/Rogers (KHBS), Jackson, MS (WAPT), Kansas City (KMBC), Milwaukee (WISN), Monterey-Salinas (KSBW-DT2), Oklahoma City (KOCO), Omaha (KETV), Pittsburgh (WTAE), Portland-Auburn (WMTW), Savannah (WJCL), West Palm Beach-Ft Pierce (WPBF). "Our team has completely re-imagined the digital viewing experience for ABC fans," ABC's svp, digital media, Karin Gilford, said in a statement. "In addition to the current ABC shows that fans know and love, we are introducing new ABCd original digital series that are fun, fresh and perfect for mobile, and we are making full seasons of all-time favorite shows available for binging. Fans on Apple devices will benefit from a dynamic new interface that makes it easier to find shows. All of this allows us to expand beyond the bounds of our linear schedule and extend ABC storytelling to viewers across screens and platforms." ABC Entertainment's evp, comedy and international scripted development, Samie Falvey added: "With our new digital comedy series, our creative team is able to experiment and push storytelling boundaries to create content that is daring, empowering, inclusive, emotional and true to life. We hope this will be an opportunity for our existing talent to flex their creative muscles, and also an opportunity for audiences to discover and champion new emerging content creators." ABC Entertainment's evp, daytime and syndicated programming, Lisa Hackner, said: "Whether the topic is love, saving money, or food, ABCd's unscripted slate features some of today's most irreverent, fresh and authentic voices offering insight, humor and practical advice on the subjects our viewers care about most." (Hollywood Reporter)